Cape Race LORAN-C transmitter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cape Race LORAN-C Mast (1st) |
|
|---|---|
| Record height | |
| Tallest in Canada from 1965 to 1976 | |
| Preceded by | CHCH Television Tower |
| Surpassed by | CN Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Type | Mast radiator insulated against ground |
| Location | Cape Race, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |
| Coordinates | 46°46′32.58″N 53°10′27.65″W / 46.7757167°N 53.1743472°W |
| Completed | 1965 |
| Destroyed | February 2, 1993 |
| Height | 411.48 m (1,350.00 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | US Coast Guard |
| Cape Race LORAN-C Mast (2nd) | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Type | Mast radiator insulated against ground |
| Location | Cape Race, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |
| Coordinates | 46°46′32.58″N 53°10′27.65″W / 46.7757167°N 53.1743472°W |
| Completed | 1993 |
| Destroyed | October 26, 2012 |
| Height | 260.3 m (854.00 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | US Coast Guard |
The Cape Race LORAN-C transmitter was a very tall radio tower. It was located at Cape Race in Newfoundland and Labrador, on the eastern coast of Canada. This tower was part of a special navigation system called LORAN-C.
LORAN-C stands for "LOng RAnge Navigation". It used radio signals to help ships and airplanes figure out their exact location. Think of it like an early version of GPS!
Contents
Canada's Tallest Tower
The first Cape Race LORAN-C tower was built in 1965. It was an amazing 411.48 meters (about 1,350 feet) tall. This made it the tallest structure in Canada at the time. It held this record until the famous CN Tower was built in Toronto in 1976. After that, it was still the second-tallest structure in the country.
How the Tower Worked
The tower was a "guyed mast". This means it was held up by strong cables called "guy-wires". These wires were anchored to the ground. The tower itself was insulated, meaning it was separated from the ground. This helped it send out powerful radio signals.
The Tower's Collapse
Sadly, the first Cape Race tower collapsed on February 2, 1993. The collapse happened because a small but important part broke. This part was called an "eyebolt head" on a "compression cone insulator". It was connected to one of the main guy-wires. When it broke, the tower became unstable and fell.
A New Tower is Built
After the first tower collapsed, a new one was built in its place. This second tower was also a guyed mast. It was 260.3 meters (about 854 feet) tall. This new tower continued to send out LORAN-C signals.
LORAN-C Chains
The Cape Race LORAN-C transmitter was a very important part of the LORAN-C system. It worked with other towers to create "chains" of signals. These chains helped cover large areas for navigation.
- It was part of the LORAN-C Chain GRI 9930.
- It also served as a "secondary transmitter" for two other chains:
- The Canadian East Coast LORAN-C chain (GRI 5930).
- The Newfoundland East Coast LORAN-C chain (GRI 7270).
Transmission Power
The tower sent out very strong radio signals. The power varied depending on which chain it was supporting:
- For the Canadian East Coast chain, it used 1000 kilowatts (kW) of power.
- For the Newfoundland East Coast chain, it used 500 kW of power.
- When it was part of the GRI 9930 chain, it used an even higher power of 1800 kW.
The LORAN-C system was eventually replaced by newer technologies like GPS. The second Cape Race tower was demolished on October 26, 2012, as the LORAN-C system was no longer needed.
